The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the ornamental vine, hereinafter referred to by the varietal denomination ‘RUTCAM’. ‘RUTCAM’ was discovered growing on a fence in a garden in Tift County, Ga. in 1993. From its general morphological similarities to ‘Madame Galen’ a commercial cultivar (unpatented) of Campsis xtagliabuana, and from descriptions in the literature (Stearn, 1953; Sargent, 1905) the plant was identified as Campsis xtagliabuana, initially known as Tecoma xtagliabuana, a cross between trumpet vine, Campsis radicans, and chinese trumpet vine, Campsis grandiflora (also known as Campsis chinensis). Semi-hardwood cuttings were collected from that plant in June 1993 and plants so propagated have been grown and evaluated at Tifton for flowering and foliage characteristics, plant form, cold hardiness and drought tolerance. The original plant was destroyed when the garden and home site were destroyed.
‘RUTCAM’ is an attractive ornamental vine, requiring support to grow and flower profusely throughout the summer in landscape settings, with red orange flowers. It has been compared with C.chinensis ‘Morning Calm’ (unpatented) and C. xtagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’. A plant growing on a fence in Tifton, Ga. (USDA Zone 8a) reached a height of 3.0 m with a spread of 4.0 m in 8 years. ‘RUTCAM’ comes into bloom 6 to 12 days before ‘Morning Calm’ and 9 days before ‘Madame Galen’. The flower color of ‘RUTCAM’ is Red 46B compared to the Orange-Red 34A of ‘Madame Galen’ and the pink/pastel orange of ‘Morning Calm’. ‘RUTCAM’ has more leaflets than ‘Madame Galen’, 12 compared to 10, and the leaf color is yellow green compared to the green of ‘Madame Galen’, with prominent abaxial leaf and rachis pubescence compared to the sparse pubescence of ‘Madame Galen’. Under the conditions of growth in Tifton, Ga., ‘RUTCAM’ does not show the invasiveness of C.radicans by root sprouts or layering reported in the northeastern U.S.